Learning to Sing “Groovin'” by Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin’s “Groovin'” is a soulful masterpiece, and learning to sing it involves mastering various vocal techniques. Pay particular attention to how Aretha uses her voice registers and combines chest and head voice with her belting technique.
Step 1: Understanding “Groovin'”
“Groovin'” is characterized by Aretha’s use of the belting technique in certain sections, adding a powerful and raw emotion to her performance. Belting originated from gospel and blues music, and has been used by numerous singers across various genres. Apart from Aretha, famous singers like Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and more recently, Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson, use belting in their singing. Discover more about it in our article on contemporary vocal techniques.
Step 2: Analyze Your Voice
To sing “Groovin'” effectively, you first need to understand your voice and identify your vocal range. Aretha Franklin was a mezzo-soprano; if your vocal range matches hers, you might find it easier to sing this song. Use our Vocal range test to determine your vocal range.
Step 3: Practice the Song
Start your practice with a warm-up: 3 Minute Warm Up. Then, practice “Groovin'” focusing on areas where belting is used. Notice how Aretha uses her lower register to deliver a soulful and powerful performance.
Step 4: Master the Technique
Belting requires good breath support. Check our article on breath support to help you. Also, learning to control your voice while transitioning from chest to head voice is crucial for mastering this song. Our Mixed Voice video offers some tips.
Step 5: Song Performance
Finally, imbue your performance with emotion. Aretha’s “Groovin'” is deeply soulful, and conveying that emotion can be as important as technical perfection. Singing with intuition, skills, emotion, and thinking may provide useful tips in this regard.
Polishing Your Performance
You can use our Pitch Training tool to practice and sharpen your pitch accuracy. Also, don’t forget proper posture=Good Singing Posture.
Remember, practice is key. Happy Singing!